3 biggest culprits in the Wild Card Series loss

The New York Mets have officially been eliminated from playoff contention in the Wild Card Round at the hands of the San Diego Padres. They lost two of three at Citi Field in a series they really shouldn't have been in if they took care of business in September.

Taking out the game that the Mets won, they were outscored 13-1 in the two losses. They mustered just one Pete Alonso single in the final game of their season.

Despite the Mets 101 win season, the team that played better this series was victorious, and that was the 89 win Padres. The Mets have a lot to be proud of for the season they had, but this ending was so disappointing. The bottom line is some of the players the Mets were counting on to take them on a deep October run did not show up.

3) Biggest culprits in the Wild Card Series defeat: The entire offense

It's hard to just pick one player from this offense to point the finger at, so I'll point it at the entire offense. The seven runs in Game 2 were great. I could even argue they should've scored more. They drew nine walks, had nine hits, and were hit by a pitch. They left ten men on.

In the other two games, the Mets had just one run on eight hits. I get that Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove are both all-star caliber pitchers, but the offense just has to produce more.

The Mets had Darvish on the ropes twice in that first game. They had runners on third with less than two outs in each of the first two innings in front of a very loud Citi Field crowd yet they had no runs to show for it.

The Mets managed just two base runners in an elimination game. That's something that can never happen. It's very hard to win two games in a series when the offense scores one run combined in two games.

2) Biggest culprits in the Wild Card Series defeat: Chris Bassitt

Chris Bassitt was as consistent as any starting pitcher the Mets turned to during the regular season. He routinely took the ball every fifth day and more often than not, shoved. He allowed three runs or fewer 22 times in his 30 starts. He went at least six innings 23 times and had two more starts where he was just one out shy of completing six frames.

I was extremely comfortable with Bassitt going up against just about any other third starter. He did not meet my lofty expectations to say the least.

Bassitt struggled mightily in Atlanta when the Mets were playing for the division. After a full week of rest, he was chosen to save the Mets season. He responded by allowing three runs in four innings of work.

It's not Bassitt's fault that the offense didn't show up, but it's hard to beat a good team when in an early hole like that.

To make matters worse, the Padres stars, Manny Machado and Juan Soto, were both hitless against the Mets right hander.

The bottom of the order gave Bassitt and the Mets fits. With a runner on first and two outs, Bassitt walked the seventh and eighth hitters in the Padres order to load the bases for their ninth hitter Austin Nola. The brother of Aaron grounded a single into left field to score two runs. Bassitt couldn't retire some below average hitters.

In the fourth, he allowed an RBI single to newly minted Met killer Trent Grisham to extend their lead.

Bassitt is a guy who doesn't walk many but he walked three in his four innings. He really struggled mainly against poor hitters in a game the Mets had to have.